


Finding Home On The Way to Anywhere

by SillyBlue



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Canon, Bisexual Dean, Domestic Fluff, M/M, Man of Letters!Dean, parent!Cas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-04
Updated: 2014-07-16
Packaged: 2018-01-21 21:28:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 20,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1564682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SillyBlue/pseuds/SillyBlue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On the way home from a rather boring case, Dean gives a ride to an odd guy who may or may not have stolen a baby.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I once bumped into a lady trying to change her baby in a badly constructed Starbucks restroom and this 3 second encounter inspired me to write this. Odd how inspiration works.
> 
> The fic is mostly written and I try to upload it in short chapters. While I tried to tag as much of what will come up later, some tags might change while I edit and rewrite certain parts of the fic.
> 
> P.S. I'm not sure if I like the title, I might change it later on.

Whenever possible Dean avoided restrooms at service stations like the plague. But driving around as much as he did he couldn’t ignore the call of nature and much less the empty gas tank of his car just because he was “afraid of gems” (his brother’s assessment, not Dean’s. Dean simply had a healthy apprehension towards unsanitary places). At least this place appeared decent; the service station was flanked by a small but light-flooded diner and a little kiosk. The unadorned concrete block housing the restrooms looked less inviting. After he had sufficiently groaned about his fate, he pushed against the door, surprised to be met with a soft resistance and a muffled “sorry”. Whatever or whoever had blocked the path shuffled out of the way and Dean peeked into the small, tiled room. A guy in a rumpled trench coat was bending over the free space on the counter where the sink was. It had placed him right next to the door swinging open and it must have been his backside Dean had bumped into. The guy didn’t acknowledge Dean, absorbed in his task. Upon a second glance Dean realized that the guy was trying to change the diapers of an infant while touching as little of the wet, grimy counter as he could.

“Dude, why didn’t you go change her in the ladies’ room? I bet they actually have a changing table in there,” Dean said, watching the man pull wet paper towels away from the shiny pink bottom of the little girl.

“An old lady shooed me out.” The voice of the guy was unexpectedly raspy. Dean raised his eyebrows but he wasn’t particularly surprised by the reply even though he might have ignored grumpy old ladies in a case like this.

“So the baby didn’t count as a free pass to the lady restrooms?” Dean joked but he received only a mute shrug. Instead of trying to force a conversation Dean decided to do what he came here to do. He felt oddly awkward pulling out his junk in the presence of a baby, so Dean took the stall. By the time he was done the trench coat clad man was powdering the baby. The little, pudgy thing with pale tufts of hair had her eyes on Dean as he washed his hands next to her daddy. He bumped elbows with the guy once when he tried to get to the paper towels, but there was no reaction from him, still absorbed in the task of slowly coating the baby’s butt with quite a lot of powder.

“Bye bye sweetheart,” Dean cooed to the girl and saw a slow smile pull at her pink mouth.

“Have a safe journey,” the man said before Dean left and he muttered something in reply, still feeling warmed by the cute grin he had received.

Dean filled the tank of his car and by the time he returned from paying and grabbing a bite to eat, he noticed that the guy was standing close to the parking lot, baby held to his chest and a pale pink rucksack slung over his shoulder. He was looking around, seeming kind of lost, and Dean wasn’t even thinking properly before he called out to him.

“Hey, are you okay?” The man was turning around, walking a little bit towards Dean so that they didn’t have to shout at each other. “Are you looking for your wife?”

“Wife?” he asked, squinting his blue eyes a little bit.

“The baby’s mommy,” Dean corrected but that only made the guy straighten a little bit, rising his head almost defiantly.

“I am her mommy,” he said gruffly and Dean lifted his eyebrow.

“Well, uh, what are you waiting for then?” Dean asked instead, trying not to sound too surprised. It was none of his business to figure out strangers. Night was falling and it was getting chilly. There were only 2 hours left until he was back at home. He really wanted to get there before midnight and his brother bolted the security, locking Dean out and forcing him to take a motel room for the night. He really hated that stupid curfew policy that made it nearly impossible to go out drinking and having a good time (which probably was Sam’s plan).

“I’m looking for a ride,” the man replied evenly. “I’ve been taking the bus so far, but I ran out of money.” Surprised by this confession Dean took in the guy’s appearance once again. The trench coat was rumpled, his hair unruly and he hadn’t shaved for a while, all things Dean would expect people he found at a service station to look like. He had the baby pressed to his chest, wrapped into one of those odd baby holding blankets and she seemed content, not asleep but not crying either. He had nothing but the rucksack, probably containing baby related items, and one of those car seats for infants on him.

“You’re hitch hiking with a baby in tow?” Dean asked incredulously.

“No,” the guy answered slowly. “I’ve been taking the bus”. Dean couldn’t help pinching the bridge of his nose. Whatever the guy was up to it seemed outrageous, but before he could say more a thought crossed Dean’s mind and he looked the two of them over again. The man – probably not much older than Dean himself – didn’t look hurt and the baby was calmly chewing on the collar of the guys’ trench coat. But maybe her daddy (or mommy, Dean supposed) had bruises hidden under his bulky clothes. It was always a possibility, because why else would the guy travel around with not even enough money to actually go anywhere if it wasn’t to escape? Well, of course he could have stolen the child, but she seemed comfortable around him.

“Okay, I’m heading to Lebanon, Kansas. Where do you need to be?” Dean asked, opening the passenger side door of his car.

“Are you taking me with you?” the guy asked and Dean shrugged, but then he walked around the car to the driver’s side and nodded his head towards the open door. “If you are, then Lebanon. If you’re not… Anywhere.” And if that didn’t sound either fishy or sad. Dean hadn’t decided yet but he guessed he’d find out over the next two hours.

“Lebanon then,” he decided, then he got in. Once the guy was in and had the baby carefully put in the car seat, squeezed in between him and Dean, Dean nodded at him. “I’m Dean by the way.”

“Castiel,” the guy said and the name sounded odd, but not quite foreign to Dean’s ears almost as if he should know it despite how it sounded made up. “And this is Anna.” The baby was looking up at Castiel, reaching out for him until he brushed his fingers against her rosy cheeks. Dean felt a small smile forming on his lips before he could check it. Anna was incredibly cute, there was no denying it.

“Okay, Anna and Castiel, let’s get you to Kansas.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! ♥


	2. Chapter 2

Dean’s mind made a valiant effort to fill the silence that had fallen in the car. Castiel was immobile and didn’t look like he was up to conversations, and Anna… Well, Dean had always thought that little kids would be noisy, especially when stuck in a car. But it was silent and Dean's mind wandered. Not an hour into their two hour drive, Dean had already imagined a number of potentially exorbitant theories about his travel companions. The currently most sensible explanation for Castiel traveling with a baby but neither suitcase nor money was still that he had fled an abusive household. But if that was the case, then just driving him up to Lebanon would not be very helpful in the long run. Admittedly, Castiel wasn’t his business - the guy was an adult - but there was Anna to consider and Dean couldn’t just accept that she might be facing homelessness or other kinds of stress. She was just a baby; she deserved to be safe and taken care of.

It felt bad and wrong to pierce the silence with prying questions, but Dean had to eventually give in to the worry gnawing at his gut:

“So, uh…” Castiel turned his head immediately. “If we’re in Lebanon and I drop you off, do you have people to turn to?”

“People?” Castiel asked and Dean frowned.

“Yeah. Like friends or family. Someone to take you in,” he clarified. Castiel nodded, but Dean’s relief was very short lived.

“No, I don’t have people,” Castiel replied. Dean’s face fell, but he had to keep his eyes on the road. Trying to garner more information by observing changes in Castiel’s expression was out of the question.

“Okay… But what about money?” Castiel squinted at him. “You said you ran out of it, but you can withdraw some? So you can pay for a room until you find a place?” Castiel didn’t reply and Dean wondered if he had missed him nodding or shaking his head. Or if maybe the situation was embarrassing enough that it made him not want to talk about it.

“I used all the money I had,” Castiel replied eventually, sounding totally unperturbed by that fact.

“Are you serious?”

“Why would I joke about it?” Castiel countered, sounding confused.

“No I-“ Dean took his eyes off the road for a second to stare at the other man. “You’re telling me that you have no one to go to and no money to support you. And you’re traveling with a young child, apparently without direction!”

“Yes.”

“Yes?!” Castiel didn’t react to Dean’s incredulous exclamation and Dean was so close to pulling the car over. But Anna stirred, making a gentle sound that had Castiel distracted immediately. Dean could see that he knew what he was doing and he obviously loved that baby. But this whole situation just seemed totally irresponsible to Dean.

He bit down on a comment, focusing on the road instead, letting Castiel tend to Anna in case that the driving did finally get to her. A few miles passed in the almost silence on the road, but every mile brought them closer to their destination. And then Dean’s obligations to the two of them were over and he’d have to let them go away, whatever uncertain fate awaited them. He couldn’t do that. Even if he was bound to fail, he had to try to talk some sense into his travel companion – for Anna’s sake.

“Look Castiel,” he started, “I know this isn’t my business but why are you doing this?”

“I’m keeping Anna safe,” Castiel was quick to reply. His voice was still calm so Dean didn’t think he was lying about that.

“Okay, I get that. But can you actually do that? Can you keep her safe?” When Castiel nodded Dean almost groaned in frustration. “You obviously love your kid, but wouldn’t it be better to… I don’t know…” Out of the corner of his eye Dean saw Castiel turn his head towards him. There was no fear or challenge in his gaze, simply curiosity and attention.

“Can you give her to her dad?” Castiel’s expression shut off immediately and Dean’s suspicion that some guy was involved in Castiel’s road trip grew more solid. “What about her mother?” Castiel opened his mouth to protest, but Dean lifted one hand off the steering wheel disarmingly. “I’m sorry. I mean whoever gave birth to her, Castiel. There must be someone.”

“There’s no one else,” Castiel insisted and his voice sounded strained enough for Dean’s chest to grow painfully tight. If Castiel was telling the truth, and Dean wasn’t yet willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, then he and Anna were all alone now. Dean of course knew nothing of the man he had picked up less than 2 hours ago and usually he didn’t care about things like these. You didn’t need to exchange the soap operas of your lives in order to help someone out. But if Dean had understood him correctly then Castiel didn’t have friends or family, he didn’t have a home and he didn’t have any money. Bad things happened to a lot of good people and while it was upsetting Dean was sure that there were ways Castiel could manage to go on, maybe even make a new start and get on his feet again. But Anna… He couldn’t possible drag Anna into the uncertainties of a life on the streets.

“Listen… I know what I’m going to tell you now sucks… But you can’t handle the situation.” Dean wanted to be gentle about it, but Castiel’s feelings were less important than the welfare of his infant daughter.

“I have been handling it,” Castiel replied calmly, but he started looking around; at the cars that passed them, at the signs rushing by, at the door handles and Dean’s hands on the steering wheel. He didn’t move and he seemed fine, but Dean didn’t like the nervous way his eyes were darting around.

“You don’t have a house or money or contacts. Dude… A child needs more than love and air!” Dean saw that Castiel opened his mouth and he could hardly believe that the guy was going to argue with him about this. But Castiel didn’t speak up, even though his lips remained slightly parted.

The squeal that followed though came from Anna, who had jerked awake. Castiel’s attention was on her immediately. She whimpered a few times, but then she fell silent again, her eyes open and alert.

“I think she has nightmares sometimes,” Castiel confessed, lightly squeezing Anna’s fist. Dean sighed, his anger chased away by Anna’s interruption, but he was still worried.

“Cas,” he said and the guy lifted his head at the unfamiliar nickname. “I know it must be hard, but sometimes we have to put the needs of others above our own. What Anna needs you to do is to be responsible.”

“I am, otherwise I wouldn’t be here.” Dean assumed there was truth in that no matter what their backstory was.

“Yeah, that’s good. But it’s not exactly good enough,” Dean muttered. “You should really think about getting help. If nobody that’s related to her can take her, then maybe she should go to foster care for a while…” Dean dared to take his eyes off the road for a second so he could see how Castiel was processing these suggestions. Castiel’s face didn’t look any different than before. If he was thinking about what Dean had told him then it didn’t show on his face.

“I can’t do that…,” Castiel told him after a too long pause.

“Dude… I know not everyone trusts the authorities, but don’t you think she’d be better off at a place that can provide her with the things she needs? A home? Food? Safety?” Castiel lowered his head, looking at the little girl. His eyes were narrowed slightly, creasing at the sides, but Dean couldn’t properly read him. Maybe it was regret clouding his eyes and making him purse his lips.

“As long as I’m with her she’s safe,” he insisted. Dean shook his head at that, quite a bit disappointed that he hadn’t reached a better conclusion, but decided to not say anything. Maybe it was pointless to reason with Castiel. He apparently was in a very stressful situation, but his refusal to listen to Dean was getting suspicious. Dean hoped that he wasn’t actually helping a kidnapper after all. Maybe he was Anna’s parent, but there were enough cases where humans messed up where their kids were concerned. As the familiar street signs signaled that he was far too close to his own home, he parked the car.

“Wait a second, Castiel. Don’t leave yet,” Dean said, reaching out his hand to stop Castiel from unbuckling his seatbelt. Castiel dropped his hands into his lap, looking at Dean expectantly. “What happens now? What are you gonna do?”

“As it’s getting late I will find a place to rest and then go search for someone who’ll take me with them,” he replied and Dean wrinkled his brow.

“And where are you going?”

“Anywhere,” Castiel replied silently. Dean pinched the bridge of his nose. “Dean, I don’t expect you to understand, but Anna is safe with me.” This fragment of an explanation was at least better than enigmatic silence, but it didn’t put Dean’s mind at ease.

“She’s not! Man, just what’s wrong with you?!” Dean shouted, at the end of his patience and far too concerned about the child. “You’re on the run, homeless and broke! You have absolutely no way to protect her or to provide for her! Don’t you see that?!”

“Dean, it’s okay,” Castiel told him, reaching out to put his hand on Dean’s arm, but Dean pulled away. He was close to pushing Castiel out of the car and taking the girl to the next police station. Close, but not quite there yet. Castiel sighed but continued: “Anna is a special child. She doesn’t need what other children need.” Dean turned his head around, glaring at Castiel, but then he dropped his eyes to where Anna was staring at her dad. Her eyes were wet and her lip wobbled, but she didn’t start crying. He tried to wipe the scowl off his face for her sake and studied her. There didn’t seem to be anything different about her. She was an ordinary, cute little baby. He then looked up but nothing seemed off about Castiel either, not even when he checked the reflections in the mirror. Dean shook his head, but motioned for Castiel to stay where he was. He slipped out of the car, closed the door and walked a few paces before he pulled his phone out of his pocket. For good measure he switched on the camera and looked at Castiel, but nothing was out of the ordinary. Dean sighed and dialed.

“Dean?” His brother replied almost immediately and Dean wondered if he had been hovering over the phone this close to the curfew.

“Yeah. Listen, I’ve got a small situation on my hands,” he said without preamble. He darted a look back, but Castiel was bent over Anna. He really didn’t look dangerous, but Dean knew that he couldn’t quite judge people by how they looked.

“What sort of situation?”

“I picked up a guy with a baby. But he doesn’t have a buck on him. No place to stay either. And he says that he has to protect her and that she’s not like other kids.”

“Uh-huh…,” Sam muttered, “so what now? Do you think they’re not human? Shitty things happen to regular people too, Dean.”

“I know that but I just can’t leave them like this. You know the car is warded, but he had no trouble getting in. He seems to be a normal, odd guy. The baby too I think.”

“Do you know his name? Maybe I can find something either in our catalogue, the network or the news.”

“Yeah… Kinda strange sounding. Castiel.” Sam was silent for a long moment and Dean wondered if he was trying to look up things.

“Dude,” Sam said at last, followed by a far more urgent: “ _Dude_!!”

“Yeah I heard you the first time, Sammy. What’s the matter? Rings any bells to you?”

“Castiel is the name of an angel! I’ve seen them mentioned in grandpa’s books!” Dean narrowed his eyes, turning around slightly to find Castiel still sitting in the impala, gazing at nothing.

“Doesn’t look like an angel.” Sam groaned impatiently and Dean could almost see how he was raising his eyebrows at him, willing him to go talk to whatever the guy in his car was. So Dean moved back to the impala and pulled the door open. “Hey.” Castiel looked up and Dean faltered a bit. Was there any graceful was to bring this up? Probably not. Dean had no idea how to test angels, he doubted he’d react much to holy water. “This is gonna sound weird but are you an angel?” Castiel squinted at him, slightly tilting his head and Dean was ready to utter an embarrassed sigh of relief.

“Yes,” Castiel replied and Dean slumped into the seat. “Why? How do you know?”

“Man of Letters,” he muttered and saw Castiel’s face light up minutely. “Shit. Well, I guess that means you’re coming with me.”

“Are you sure? I’d appreciate it.” Dean was a bit surprised to find no hesitation or wariness on Castiel's face. He didn’t reply, instead he recalled that Sam was still waiting for him to talk.

“Okay, bringing him in. Make coffee or something.” With that he hung up and started the engine. Dean was only silent for as long as it took him to maneuver the car back into the traffic. “I can’t believe that you’re an angel. You should have said something.”

“Considering that we rarely walk the earth and humans are not used to us, I felt it wise to keep this to myself,” Castiel told him. “Nobody reacted hospitably when I alerted them to what I was.” Dean suppressed a snort. “And I didn’t want you to change your mind.”

“Dude, I almost changed my mind a couple of times,” Dean said and looked at Anna. “Is she an angel?”

“She was. Now she’s as human as an angel can become,” Castiel explained, gently brushing his fingertips over Anna’s head.

“And you had no idea that I am a Man of Letters? I thought you angels could… I don’t know. Read mind, touch souls. The usual creepy, invasive stuff.” Surprisingly enough Castiel smiled softly, looking down where his fingers were tracing Anna’s cheek.

“What I can do right now is limited. I don’t think anybody is after Anna, but temporarily severing myself from the Host seemed to be wisest.” He looked up, tilting his head at Dean again. “Wasting my powers on gazing into you seems pointless. Besides, I can already tell that you’re a good person…” Castiel squinted his eyes slightly. “Even though you’ve done things that are bad, you don’t mean me or Anna any harm.” Dean shifted in his seat, an odd shiver going down his spine and settling heavy and uncomfortable in his stomach. He focused on the traffic, not that there was much now that he was going in the direction of their home.

“You seem to know what the Men of Letters are,” Dean said not long after they had taken the street into the forest.

“I’m an angel. Of course I know what the Men of Letters are,” Castiel replied and Dean snorted at the almost affronted tone.

“And you didn’t think to go straight for them?” Castiel didn’t say anything for a while.

“You’re not a shelter. I didn’t think you were properly equipped for a small child.”

“Oh, and you are of course,” Dean retorted, grinning now. Castiel looked ahead, a surly expression on his face. “Well, at least you have a diaper bag, so well done.” Dean could feel Castiel’s glare and maybe Dean was being thoughtless in the face of such a powerful being - if they _were_ powerful, Dean actually didn’t know what angels were capable of. The real deal was always different than what people believed them to be. Sam was going to love this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! ♥


	3. Chapter 3

As expected, Sam was right there when Dean opened the door.

“I can’t believe that there’s an angel here,” was the only sentence Dean heard before he zoned out of the excited babbling. Castiel had a surprising amount of patience for him (far more than Dean, tired as he was, currently had), following Sam into their living room while Dean locked up the Bunker. When he rejoined them, Castiel and Sam were sitting in armchairs, Anna snuggled against Castiel’s chest. Sam had a thick journal on his knees, but his attention was on Castiel.

“So she’s a fallen angel. But you’re… not.”

“No. Heaven hasn’t severed the link between me and the Host yet. As long as they don’t consider me a traitor they won’t,” Castiel explained. Dean got himself something to drink, then he sat down in the chair next to Sam.

“Dean,” his brother started, slightly turning towards him, with his finger on the journal. “The Men of Letters have no previous records of fallen angels that get reborn into humans! We’re dealing with new knowledge here!” Dean rolled his eyes and patted his brother’s shoulder.

“Knock yourself out recording it then, nerd.” Sam glared at him, but Dean turned his attention towards Castiel. “What exactly happened? How did an angel turn into a human infant?”

“When Anna decided to fall,” Castiel started, gently petting the baby’s soft hair, “she talked to me first. She was afraid of what would happen. Few angels choose to fall, not after Lucifer was cast out of Heaven. But it can be done. When you take away an angel’s Grace it’s raw and vulnerable. She could have flung herself to earth, but instead I took her in. I went to Earth, made her a human body and now we’re here. She’s still vulnerable, so I have to guard her. But I realize now that being a human parent is more difficult than I imagined.”

Sam nodded along excitedly, tapping away at his laptop, but Castiel’s explanation only raised more questions in Dean.

“What, run this by me again. You took her in?” Castiel nodded. “And you made her a human body.”

“Yes,” the angel said and only tilted his head when Dean raised his eyebrows at him, lifting his hands in invitation for elaboration. When it wasn’t coming Dean rolled his eyes.

“ _How_ , dude. How did that work?” Castiel still seemed a bit confused, but not unwilling to share information. Dean was just glad that they got information at all. The one they usually received to file away was blood stained.

“An angel's body is different than a human's. While you only have the space to carry your own soul, we angels are... vaster. It's difficult to explain...”

“Just go on,” Sam asked gently, “we'll get it eventually.” Castiel's mouth twitched into what might have been a grin.

“Very well. While we have an essence which you could equate to a human's soul, we also have pockets within us that lets us store Grace.”

“And Grace is what exactly? Our records merely state it as divine energy,” Sam said, checking the journal he had now placed next to his laptop.

“That’s what it is. It’s what gives us our powers and abilities,” he explained and Sam made a note in the margins. “And we carry that Grace within us. Even though it's unconventional for ordinary angels we can carry other things too. Messages, missions, the Grace of others, souls, and the essence of other angels,” Castiel explained.

“So that's what happened to Anna? You stored her within you?” Dean wondered how Sam could keep a straight, serious face when asking that, while Dean was just trying to imagine it. He wondered how angels looked like outside of vessels and right now he just thought of floating trench coats with lots of pockets. Or maybe a chest of drawers floating through a pearly white backdrop. He swallowed down a burst of laughter and Sam shot him a nasty look. Castiel was unperturbed by the brother’s silent exchange.

“Yes. It's not technically allowed outside of war situations, but there are no clear laws against it either. I was liberal with my interpretation about what I was allowed to do with my body.” Dean studied the two angels, Anna held against Castiel's chest, sleeping through this explanation.

“And how did you get her a human body? Can angels just make them out of nothing?” Dean wondered, but before Castiel had the chance to reply, he saw Sam shake his head.

“We know angels take vessels, Dean. It wouldn't make sense for them to do so if they had the power to create their own bodies to act on the human plane,” he explained but Dean just shrugged.

“We also didn't know that angels could fall like that, so I think there's a lot we've not been informed of,” Dean argued and both looked at Castiel expectantly.

“I'm inhabiting a vessel. My host has been informed of what I intended to do and has given me consent. I think you record things like this too?”

Sam nodded eagerly and Dean knew quite well that while they tried to keep an eye on demonic possession, they had maybe a dozen probably unreliable accounts of human possession by angels. This would be the first verified possession within the records. What a time to be alive, Dean thought.

“His name is Jimmy Novak, his bloodline has been chosen for me a long time ago.” Dean saw Sam scribble ‘chosen bloodline??’ on his notepad, underlining it twice. Though it was not their current concern, they might as well look into it later on.

“And what about Anna? How did she get a vessel?” Sam wanted to know, getting back to the original topic.

“I made it. It wasn't difficult if I had genetic material and the essence of an angel to work with. I was glad to realize that an angel could bear human bodies. I haven't heard of it before.” Castiel seemed oddly pleased at that, looking down at the little girl, while Dean and Sam looked at each other. But the alarm buzz of curfew prevented them from saying something and the Bunker shut itself for the next 6 hours.

“I didn't even get to buy beer,” Dean groused, “I hate this security system.” Sam rolled his eyes but then he looked at Castiel.

“Would you like to rest? We have bedrooms for guests.” Castiel nodded, getting up from his seat. “Dean? Can you show him? I have to finish this entry.”

“Sure. Follow me,” Dean said, grabbing Castiel's rucksack with baby supplies. Castiel followed him down the corridor into the living quarters until they reached an unmarked door. “It's not much. It took me years to convince our dad to introduce the 21st century into headquarters. It still looks like a cold war bunker.” Castiel just nodded along and Dean assumed that angels probably didn't care all that much about interior decoration. The room wasn't too big, but it housed a bed with new and freshly washed sheets, a wardrobe, a table, a radio and a small TV. Watching Castiel put the bag on the dresser and Anna on the bed, Dean felt a strange, but not unwelcome warmth spread inside of him. It felt good, seeing Castiel settling in (though Dean wasn't really sure he could call it that.) He didn't know how long Castiel would be staying with them but somehow it felt... More permanent.

“We'll get Anna a nice bed once we can leave here again. And... If you need anything just call me. My room's two doors down and next to the phone you find a direct line to the main hall, Sam and me.” Castiel looked over to the old fashioned phone next to his bed. “Uh, yes. Welcome to the Men of Letters headquarters. I hope you'll feel at home.” Castiel looked up now and smiled at Dean. It made his face look young and cheerful, the gratefulness shining in his eyes.

“Thank you for your hospitality,” he said and Dean nodded, not finding his voice. He almost bumped into the drawer on his graceless retreat out of the room, wishing Castiel a good night.

* * *

Sam was no longer typing by the time Dean came back from the kitchen with two cups of coffee. He was bent over some printed out files but he looked up from them once Dean placed the cup of coffee next to his elbow.

“Any news?” He was pretty sure that Sam was looking through their databases for accounts and information about angels, maybe even Castiel himself. There was no point in asking about whether Sam had contacted their parents, fellow members or any hunters yet. Most of the new files stayed locked for a while until Sam, Dean (and Charlie when she was here and not going off on some magical quest) had thoroughly checked everything and ran them through with the rest of the inner circle. And even then it would take quite a long time before the information would be made public – or as public as sharing it with a selected few in the hunting community was. And as far as Dean knew angels were part of the top secret files that might not ever be shared. Usually Dean didn't like all of their secrecy policies, because some of their knowledge could keep people from getting killed, but for once he wasn't all that averse to keeping Castiel and his story a secret. For now.

“Yeah. I ran Castiel's name through the databases and checked some of the handwritten files. There was nothing specific. A couple of incantations, but as far as I can tell he doesn't seem to be part of the angels that usually interact with humans. This means he's probably a soldier.” Dean nodded and sipped his coffee. It was odd to imagine that guy as a soldier, considering how docile he looked. The good, hot drink soothed some of the aches of a long drive and he sighed in bliss. Sam went through a few of the loose papers, before he snatched one up. “I also made a background check on his vessel. Jimmy Novak does exist, but he's been in a coma for the last 3 years, following an accident with a drunk driver. There was little chance of recovery according to the doctors. They were really surprised when he got up about 6 months ago. No partner or kids. It seems he choose someone who wouldn't... Well, necessarily be missed or considered to be very odd to suddenly behave differently.”

“Not a bad move I guess, but if he plans to be sort of human until Anna is an adult it'll be a long ride for this Jimmy dude,” Dean mused. Sam nodded slowly.

“We'll have to ask Castiel about that. While I think he's not doing anything wrong, we still have to make sure that no humans are harmed if we can.” Dean lent back in his chair, looking at all the paper on his desk. “Dean? You're alright?” Dean blinked and looked at his brother.

“Yeah, just long journey. Next time you'll get to deal with the Campbells, they're really driving me up the walls,” Dean muttered, but he said nothing about the odd feeling of contentment that seemed to settle into him. Maybe Sam felt it too. Maybe it was just the effects of having an angel share the same space they did.

“How long do you think Castiel will stay with us?” he wondered after a while and Sam closed the laptop to focus on his coffee.

“I don't know... Maybe he'll want to move on? We could get him a new identity? Some money?” Sam suggested. “But the Bunker is the safest place. I think not even other angels would find him here.”

“That's what I thought too,” Dean said and Sam smiled a bit.

“I hope they'll stay,” Sam confessed and Dean couldn't help grinning at that, but he tried to hide it behind his coffee cup.

“Yeah.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! ♥


	4. Chapter 4

Castiel did stay. He liked the bunker probably just as much as Dean did and the assumption filled him with no little amount of pride. The bunker was, after all, the place Dean considered his home and he put as much effort into the comforts of his guest as he possible could. Castiel might not often comment on the bunker or Dean’s smaller and bigger improvements apart from praising flowers or the tea, but he spent a lot of time reading or helping Sam and Dean with their research and case work. It was nice to have another face about the bunker, when usually it was just him and Sam. About a month after Dean first showed Castiel his room, Charlie finally made an appearance.

“Who had a baby without telling me?!” was the first thing Dean heard of her and he quickly came out of the kitchen to find Charlie staring down into Anna's playpen currently situated in what Dean liked to call the living room. Castiel was sitting at the table, with an open book in front of him, but while he kept an eye on Charlie, there was nothing in his posture that hinted towards him being tense about her closeness to his child. “Oh my gosh, she's so cute! Where's the Daddy? I want to kick him in the nuts for not telling me!”

“Easy, Charlie!” Sam said, laughing, “Dean didn't do anything wrong this time.”

“Why is it always my fault anyway?” Dean asked, putting a cup of tea in front of Cas, alerting Charlie to both him and the angel. Charlie's eyes lit up when she saw Dean and he only had to lift his arms for her come for a hug. Dean smiled at the instant comfort Charlie’s presence brought him. He let her go after a while, nodding his head at Castiel. “Charlie? This is Cas.” She looked at the angel with surprise that soon turned into understanding.

“Is he the big secret I was told to come here for?” she held out her hand to Castiel and it took him a beat before he got up to shake her hand. Dean nodded and Charlie looked him up and down, before she broke out into a grin and nudged Dean with her elbow.

“Oh, I know what's up,” she said with a cheeky grin and Dean frowned at her, confused, before the wiggling of her eyebrows and the unsubtle winking made it click in his head. He rolled his eyes, even as he felt his face heat up.

“Just take a seat and drink your chocolate!” Dean walked away to put the tray with the cups and snacks on the coffee table close to where Anna had dozed off again. They all sat down in the comfortable armchairs, even Castiel when Dean asked him to move.

“Castiel, Charlie is a Woman of Letters and a good friend of ours,” Sam started, completing the introductions that Charlie had interrupted with her nonsense. “Would you allow us to share information about you?” Castiel nodded at once and Dean was glad about it. He didn't like excluding Charlie, especially since she was after all an initiated member of their society.

“Castiel is an angel. And Anna – the baby – used to be one as well. He's guarding her and we in turn are guarding him. We doubt that he's in any kind of trouble, but better safe than sorry.” Charlie took a split second to process this, before her eyes widened significantly.

“Oh! That's so cool!! Do you have wings and a halo?!” Castiel stared at her, but still nodded. “Cool!” Charlie then looked at Anna. “So you're like... her daddy?”

“I suppose you could say that,” Castiel hedged, then he looked towards where Anna was resting. Dean remembered well enough that Cas had once claimed to be her mom and he guessed it made sense considering he carried her in his body.

“Kinda like a seahorse daddy, aren't you?” Dean joked and Sam shot him a withering look while Castiel seemed to contemplate that.

“What? Do angel males carry their young?”

“Ah, no. They don't,” Castiel explained, “but Anna's not the product of angelic mating, at least not in the form she is now. She wanted to become human, so I carried her for as long as it took for a human body to be produced with what I had available.” Charlie seemed interested in that, but she didn't ask for more information.

“Can I hold her? I love babies!” she asked, completely changing track.

“Of course,” Castiel said amicably and if Sam was as surprised as Dean was at least he didn't show it. The two of them had never dared to ask about holding her. Castiel took care of her every needs and while Dean enjoyed when Anna smiled at him and grabbed for him and would have very much loved to hold her, he had never worked up the courage to ask. She had been an angel after all and Castiel always kept close to her. But Charlie has no reservations. She reached down to the tiny girl and lifted her up. Anna's eyes were wide at first, surprised by the new face, but then she smiled and held on to Charlie's shirt.

“She's so cute! Aren't you Anna? You're a cutie! I want to buy lots of onesies for you!” Dean frowned at that, but he was pretty sure that soon enough there would be a shopping bag full of baby clothes standing around somewhere. “She's not fussy at all.”

“Rarely,” Castiel agreed and Charlie sat down again, Anna on her lap. “And she's comfortable, she wouldn't cry now.” Charlie looked at Castiel.

“Can you read her thoughts or something?”

“Not her thoughts. But the general mood she's projecting. I'm grateful. It must be difficult for a human parent not to understand the needs of their child as easily as I do.” Charlie nodded and they stayed like this for quite a while, until Dean announced that he'd go out to get them pizza.

Charlie caught up with him when he was getting into his car and they drove out together.

“Pity this is a secret hideout, otherwise we could just order some pizza,” she said with a grin. Dean was familiar with this complaint so he didn't reply. Charlie was silent for a while, but Dean knew she wanted to say something by the way she fidgeted.

“Just out with it, Charlie,” Dean urged her.

“Okay!” she said with a big huff, clapping her thighs once before she turned towards Dean. “I'm a bit disappointed, Dean! I thought you'd introduce me to your boyfriend and your adopted baby! I would like to be angry to be left out of the loop, but I’m gonna let it pass because Anna’s so cute.”

“What?” Dean snapped even though he had guessed what conclusions Charlie must have come to. “You know I'm not- I would have told you about something this big! Or at least I would have told Mom and Mom would have told you!” And Dad, and grandpa and the grandmas and probably half of Kansas. He could almost hear her in his head “have you heard the news? My boy has a baby now!” When it came to happy family news she knew almost no restraint. Charlie snorting called him back to reality.

“Don't be ridiculous, Dean. I know you do appreciate a fine piece of guy ass once in a while. I mean I like that we share a love for ladies but you do know that you actually came out to me during the last siege against the shadow orcs,” Charlie quipped.

“I was drunk, Charlie! And I was in character!” Dean knew it was a feeble attempt.

“Right,” Charlie said and Dean rolled his eyes.

“It's fine that you know, but I need a bit of time to figure things out. It's not like I've ever done anything with a guy, so I'm not sure if I really... You know... And besides, Castiel is an angel.”

“He's quite good looking, and he's a divine single parent, so I think he's a nice catch.” Dean rolled his eyes, but there was no point in arguing with Charlie. She was right after all and she'd see through Dean if he tried to tell her that he wasn't interested in Castiel. More than reasonable for a Man of Letters to be interested in an angel of course.

“I'd be nice if you married Cas. I could tease you about matches made in heaven. And you'd make a great daddy. I'm sure of it!” Before Dean could deny that Charlie jumped in her seat. Dean knew he'd get to hear one of her silly ideas. “Let's go buy things for Anna tomorrow!”

“Don't you think you should ask Cas about that?”

“Oh come on, Dean. It's been so long since we went shopping together!!” Charlie argued and Dean groaned, but didn't have the heart to refuse Charlie this bit of fun.

* * *

 

As far as Dean could tell, Anna appreciated her new set of clothes. While Dean had tried to stop Charlie from going over the top with her purchases he did have to admit that Anna looked adorable in the things they had bought. Castiel had been surprised, but also grateful.

“Humans grow so fast. Her clothes were getting too small, so I really appreciate it,” Castiel said, lifting the baby up. He smiled up at Dean and if it made Dean's heart skip a beat then that was probably just the surprise of still finding himself the recipient of an angel's grateful smile. This was all Charlie’s fault, Charlie and talking about his budding feelings. Charlie and talking about how well the domestic life would suit him. And Dean had eaten it all up, anxious to have someone – anyone – tell him that it was fine to have a crush on an angel. That it was fine that this inexplicable need had hit him almost out of nowhere. And with every encouraging word and praise of Cas Charlie could tease out of Dean, that budding crush developed.

Dean quickly darted a look to Charlie and Sam. They were both currently busy in the library, leaving him and the two angels alone in the living room. He looked back at Castiel and then at Anna and felt his cheeks heat up a bit and his heart beat nervously. It was no big deal, no big deal, but his hands were sweating when he rubbed his neck.

“Uh, may... may I?” When Castiel tilted his head to the side, studying Dean in confusion, Dean held out his hands a little bit. Not too much, because it would make Castiel's refusal feel even more awkward. But Castiel understood what he wanted.

“Oh, yes,” he said and like with Charlie he had no reservations. He stepped closer to Dean and carefully put the baby into Dean's arms as if he had not a single doubt that Dean knew perfectly well what to do. Dean didn't quite know what to do, but Castiel's confidence made him feel a bit bolder. Anna was a comfortable, warm little bundle in his arms and she smiled up at him.

“Is she at ease?” Dean asked.

“Yes,” Castiel replied, looking down at her fondly. “She likes you.” Dean looked down at the little girl even though her eyes were slowly shutting.

“I like her too,” Dean said, gently swiping his thumb up and down Anna's cheek. Dean looked up when he felt Castiel step closer to comb his fingers through Anna's hair. Dean was sure that his cheeks were heating up and Castiel could most certainly tell that his heart just jumped in his chest. This was rather embarrassing, Dean couldn't remember the last time he had developed such an intense crush on someone.

“I underestimated how difficult it would be to raise her on my own. I'm glad that I'm no longer alone,” Castiel said and Dean saw him look up at him. “Your help and hospitality mean a lot to me. And to Anna. Maybe she can grow up like a normal human.”

“You... Will you stay?” Dean asked and Castiel tilted his head.

“If I may. I think Anna might be upset if she can't see Sam and you anymore,” he answered and Dean couldn't help smiling.

“Course you may, I wouldn't like you to leave either,” Dean confessed, their closeness and Anna's warmth in his arm making him feel bold. Castiel showed him one of his rare smiles, the one that stretched his mouth and softened his eyes. “Cas, do-”

“Hey guys! We just had a hunter contact us with new info on werewolf tribes!” Dean gave a start at Sam's voice ringing through the room, jostling Anna who grunted before she started squirming.

Dean's sudden retreat made Castiel study him with mild confusion and the look of consternation on Dean's face matched Anna's.

“Yeah? Okay, just let me get the baby to bed,” Dean muttered nervously and Sam, who was lingering in the doorway, nodded.

“It's okay. You can give her to me. She needs to be fed anyway,” Castiel said and crossed the distance to pull Anna out of Dean's arms. The Man of Letters resisted for a split second, holding on to her a bit firmer, but then his shoulders slumped and he gave her to Castiel. Dean suppressed a sigh and followed Sam into their main hall, where Charlie was going through the information they already had.

“What's with the heart-broken face, Dean?” Charlie asked when the brothers were sitting down. Sam looked up in surprise, turning to study Dean. Dean just frowned, and pulled a folder towards him.

“Nothing heart-broken about me,” he snapped, “what's going on?” Charlie narrowed her eyes, but then she decided to let it rest and turned to the case. Dean was grateful; he didn't feel like sorting through whatever he felt at the moment.

“We've got a report on odd werewolf activity,” Sam explained. “Apparently various lone werewolves have been observed to migrate. We think that a council might be taking place next full-moon. We can't be sure, but Mom and Dad also observed it.” Dean glared down at the folders, studying the maps with the lines drawn across it.

“A council? Wasn't the last one over 150 years ago? Why would they hold a council now?”

“I'm not sure, but if their negotiating includes rogues, that usually doesn't bode well for humans. Tribes can neutralize the ferocity of rogue wolves, but they are much more likely to fuel their destructive powers because hunting in a pack is safer. Hunters rarely work in teams and they'll be sorely outnumbered if they cross paths with a well organized, dangerous pack. Gwen asked for backup. Just to investigate.” Dean sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Sam... We're not hunters... We'll just get in the way,” Dean told him and Sam shrugged helplessly.

“We know a couple of ways to incapacitate werewolves that don't require fist-fights,” Charlie suggested and Dean sighed.

“Fine. Pack your things. We're leaving before curfew,” Dean announced, some uncomfortable feeling settling in his stomach. “Sam and I will back up Gwen and you, Charlie, best go to Dad.”

“What?” Charlie complained, “am I on protocol duty again?” Dean just gave a stern look and she relented, but not without muttering.

“I hate these cases. We've been raised to document and preserve knowledge, not to apply it in dangerous situations,” Dean said while he gathered the documents, shaking his head.

“I know. And I like it as little as you do, but Men of Letters observe monster councils. We have to go. Let's just hope that it will run smoothly,” Sam said. Dean shook his head again, but then he patted Sam's back and left him to prepare.

He walked towards Castiel's room, finding the angel sitting on the bed, with Anna on his lap.

“Uh, hey,” Dean said, knocking on the door frame. Castiel looked up, squinting slightly.

“What's the matter? You seem upset.” Dean didn't come into the room, crossing his arms and leaning against the doorframe instead.

“Yeah... We got a case. Involving werewolves... We'll be out for a week, maybe two weeks top. Do you think you'll manage on your own? The bunker is well-stocked,” Dean explained.

“Yes of course,” Castiel said and Dean nodded. “Do you require assistance?”

“Ah, no... You're under our protection. I just want you and Anna to be safe,” Dean answered and Castiel accepted it. Dean lingered a bit, unsure what to say to him. He _wanted_ to say something but everything got stuck in his throat. In the end he just told him to stay put and left the two of them. He'd talk when he came back.

“Everything alright? You look like you're constipated,” Sam quipped, but there was an underlying tone of worry in his voice. Dean rolled his eyes.

“I'm fine. I just like being home, you know,” he muttered.

“And you're sure it's got nothing to do with who you're leaving behind?” Charlie asked when they were putting their bags into the Impala's trunk.

“Cas will be fine,” he said with a snort, but shot Charlie a look that hopefully conveyed enough. She gave a small nod, then they hugged and Charlie got into her own car. “I'll hear from you! Until next time!”

“Yeah, take care,” Sam said and then they closed the door of the car, leaving the bunker behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the later than usual update and thank you for reading! ♥


	5. Chapter 5

Everything hurt and his body was unbearably heavy when Dean finally dragged himself back into his room almost two weeks after he had left the bunker. His fingers were too clumsy to untie his shoelaces and he didn't care that he stained his bed with dirt, blood or sweat. After almost passing out behind the wheel of his car it had been difficult enough to unseal the bunker and not fall asleep in the corridor. He was even too tired to be angry that his room was getting messy, he just wanted to pass out.

With a groan he turned on his back when a faint noise disturbed the silence of his dark room. A sliver of light came in from a crack in the doorway and he could make out someone moving towards him. A cool hand was placed on his forehead. He felt even heavier for a moment, but then the pain in his limbs slowly ebbed away, leaving only tiredness behind.

“Cas?”

“Are you alright?” he asked instead of answering and Dean pressed his face against Castiel's palm, uncaring how pathetic it was. Castiel didn't seem to mind at all, rubbing his palm gently up and down over the bruise on the side of Dean's face.

“Better now that I'm home,” he said hoarsely, voice barely above a raspy whisper.

“You should sleep,” Castiel told him and Dean only grunted in reply, passing out to the feeling of Castiel's hand stroking his hair.

* * *

 

When Dean woke again, most of the pain of the previous night was gone. He blinked into the faint light coming from the corridor, feeling stiff and dirty. He recalled that he went to bed fully dressed and with dirt sticking to him. He groaned and sat up. He grabbed some clothes and groggily made his way to the shower rooms. Washing at least got him to relax a bit and he sighed happily. Only once he dragged his fingers through his hair, did he recall the faint memory of other fingers touching his face. Of a cool palm cradling his bruised cheek. He gave a start and stared at the mirror, but his foggy reflection wasn't forthcoming with explanations. Had Castiel really come to his room last night? He wiped his palm over the wet surface and found his face stubbly but the bruise was replaced by cheeks made rosy by the warm water. Dean squinted at his reflection, prodding at this cheek. It still hurt a bit, just like the rest of his body, but it was nothing compared to the aches he had felt yesterday night. He made a huffing sound, then he shaved and combed his fingers through his hair.

Feeling refreshed, Dean dragged himself into the kitchen, where he found Castiel pouring coffee. Dean looked at him in surprise, not having expected to run into him quite so soon.

“Good morning,” Castiel said, handing Dean a cup of coffee. “How are you?”

“Much better,” Dean managed to say, hating himself for how his face heated up. Stupid crush. Two weeks of absence just had made it come back with a vengeance. Castiel sat down next to him, radiating warmth and comfort. Dean couldn't help relaxing, sighing as the coffee woke him up a bit more.

“How's Anna?”

“Still asleep. She's been good, though I think she missed you,” Castiel replied and Dean couldn't help smiling though he did try to hide it behind his cup. “You were gone a while...”

“It was a shitty 2 weeks,” Dean confessed, “I had to kill werewolves and some hunters died as well... It's just... Not nice... I hate doing it... We’re not hunters. We’re just Men of Letters. Sam broke his leg and is staying over at our parents' place until he's better. I'm just...” He sighed, shaking his head, “so glad to be back home.”

“You didn't want to stay at your parents' as well?” Castiel wondered and Dean stared at the half-empty cup. He turned it around in his hands, aware of the silence. But Castiel wasn't pressing him for an answer, simply waiting as Dean was trying to make up his mind.

“No. This is my home,” Dean said after a while, turning his head to find Castiel looking at him. The angel's face softened and he smiled gently. Dean could stare at him for hours and it was ridiculous but it felt good. It felt good sitting so close to Cas, just talking and drinking coffee. The nervous butterflies were swirling up into his chest, but they calmed back down when Castiel's smile widened a bit.

“Aww, fuck it,” Dean said and leant in, placing a kiss on Castiel's mouth. Castiel was still smiling when Dean drew back to look at him, the skin around his eyes crinkling and white teeth showing.

“I'm glad you're back,” Castiel said, then he slipped off his chair, “I'll check on Anna.” Castiel brushed past him, but not before bending down to give Dean another kiss. It was casual and natural, almost as if they'd always done it. And more importantly; like they would continue doing this for much longer.

Dean was still grinning to himself by the time he got into the main hall to write reports, finding Castiel sitting on a chair with Anna pressed against his chest. The girl was mumbling and muttering, probably still half-asleep.

“Anna,” Dean greeted and the girl inclined her head back. When she spotted Dean, her eyes opened a bit wider and she reached out to him. Dean put a new cup of coffee on the table, before he crouched down next to Castiel's chair, taking Anna's little fists into his hands to kiss them. “Have you been a good girl?” She huffed, an excited look on her face. Dean chuckled and straightened, then he sat down at the table to write reports. Being a Man of Letters was natural and usual for him, even though he was aware of the fact that a life connected to the supernatural was hardly ordinary. But filing reports about werewolves with a guy he was fast falling in love with and his baby sitting close by – even if both of them were angelic – just made him feel even more at home.

* * *

 

Neither Dean nor Cas brought up what this between them was, simply enjoying each other's vicinity, sometimes exchanging kisses and holding on to each other. It was sweet and comfortable, but Dean knew that eventually they had to figure out where to go from here. Castiel, and especially Anna, were under the protection of the Men of Letters. Dean had filed the official documents and they were ready to be sent off to the highest ranking members for approval. Dean was sure that he'd be approved even though he hoped for a bit of nepotism to play in his favor – his grandfather was still the official head of the order, even though he had retired from actively participating, just like Dean's father had for the sake of his mother's full retiring from hunting. While the normal life, with their normal house, their normal jobs and normal BBQ parties was nice, Dean couldn't quite see himself quitting being a Man of Letters anytime soon. But if Cas and Anna were to stay – if they even were to become part of Dean's own life – then he'd have to figure out how to enable them to be embedded into regular society. But until Anna was old enough to attend kindergarten they still had a couple of years to come up with something.

That was if Castiel really was intending to stay and no matter how soft Castiel's kisses were and how loving the palms that cupped Dean's cheeks and gently settled on Dean's back or his arms, Dean couldn't shake the fear that one day he'd grow tired of Dean. That he'd leave him like the other people Dean had fallen in love with and who had decided that Dean was holding them back. Dean was a Man of Letters at heart, sure he was quite clever and could fix stuff, but outside of the familiar walls of the Bunker he was nothing. Officially he received his paycheck by being an assistant in a library, just like all full-time Men of Letters did. He couldn’t really offer Anna and Castiel a regular life, so maybe he should expect that one day this nice day dream would be over. And that wasn’t even taking into consideration that Castiel was an angel.

What Dean didn't expect – but certainly _should_ have expected – was that an outside force would bring Dean to re-evaluate the vague terms of his and Castiel's relationship.

One month after he had returned to the bunker, Sam came back and he had their parents in tow. Dean knew that Sam took the rules of the Men of Letters seriously, so both of his parents were unaware of Castiel and Anna. Dean couldn't help feeling like he was caught red-handed, when his parents showed up in the main hall and he was carrying Anna around to get her to fall asleep again. Castiel was currently away in one of the storage rooms with some of the more dangerous objects because other than the Men of Letters he was not susceptible to their effects.

Sam at least had the decency to look apologetic while his parents had variations of surprise on their faces.

“Sorry, Mom, Dad. I wasn't expecting you. Let me just...” Anna clung to his shirt when he wanted to put her into her playpen, so he just heaved a sigh and kept holding her.

“You're also kind of an unexpected sight,” Dad commented, “we'll just have to postpone the hugs until the kid has relinquished her hold on you.”

“Who is she? Don't tell me you kept silent about having a kid!” Mom said and even though her voice was light, there was an undercurrent of worry in it. He was pretty sure that a variety of not necessarily nice scenarios went through her head.

“She's not an Amazon, she's not changeling, any other kind of monster or the result of a curse befalling me. It's fine, Mom. She's just a baby and she isn't mine either.” Dean saw Mary breathe a sigh of relief.

“You knew about this, didn't you?” Mary asked, turning towards Sam, who was trying to look small and the crutches did make him look slightly pathetic. Mary still frowned.

“There must be something supernatural going on if Sam couldn't talk to us about it. But now the cat's out of the bag. What's up?” Dean winced, but his parents weren't stupid. There was no point in lying.

“Okay fine! Would you just sit down somewhere? I'm not doing this standing up and Anna has to go to bed now.” His parents complied while Sam shuffled away – as well as possible – to make them coffee. Dean sighed to himself, wondering if he should fetch Cas, but decided against it in the end. His parents were talking amongst themselves when he returned, both with coffee and pie before them and Sam shooting him another apologetic look. But Dean knew how his parents were, it's not like Sam could have stopped them from visiting.

“So... Anna?” Mary wondered and Dean plopped down in the armchair opposite his parents'. “Where's her mother?”

“Doing inventory of cursed objects,” Dean replied and before his parents could protest, he continued: “Look. Everything's been approved and they're under the protection of the MoL for an undetermined amount of time. The reason they are here is because Anna is a reborn angel.”

“Reborn angel?” Mary asked but John nodded in understanding so apparently he still got MoL updates despite his retirement. “And her mother?” Dean sighed.

“An angel,” he said but apparently his mother's attention had gone somewhere else. Indeed, Castiel was standing in the door-way, with a stack of files under his arm, eying everyone. He didn't seem particularly alert, so Dean guessed that Castiel didn't deem anybody to be a threat to himself or Anna.

“Hello,” he said into the silence and it sounded slightly confused.

“This is Castiel,” Dean said. “He's Anna's angel mom.” Dean got up, walking up to Castiel who was still looking a bit lost. “I'm sorry, I didn't know they'd visit.”

“Who are those people?” Castiel whispered back, “your parents?”

“They're not dangerous – well, I mean they could be but,” Dean started to protest.

“I'm not worried, Dean,” Castiel told him. “I’ll put the files into the study and then I'll be back.” With this Castiel turned away, walking down the corridor.

Dean was reluctant to turn around again, where he knew he had to face the questions of his parents. Not that it was any of their business. He was in charge of the Bunker, he was the informal leader of the Men of Letters headquarters, the future head of the entire order and he managed and stored knowledge inaccessible to almost everyone. He didn't owe anyone an explanation about the secrets of the bunker. But when John and Mary both looked at him expectantly Dean uttered a groan and sat back into his chair.

“How did you end up with an angel and its baby?” Mary wondered, while John asked: “why wasn't she reborn as a human couple's child?” Dean patiently explained, with the occasional interjection from Sam and in the end his parents seemed to be satisfied. At least partially.

“I think it is good that you offered your hospitality to an angel,” his mother decided. “But what is going to happen to Anna? If Castiel wants her to lead a normal life they will eventually have to leave the bunker and make it out there.”

“Yeah... I know that, but I thought there were still a couple of years before we had to face that problem,” Dean explained and saw John lift his eyebrow.

“ _We_ , Dean?” Dean bit his lips at that, feeling his cheeks heat up. John didn't comment on it and it was Sam who came to his rescue.

“I know MoL usually are not in the business of forging documents, but we're sure we can still pull it off. Well, Charlie or Gwen can. We just don't want to rush it. Castiel is not used to being human and letting him out into the wide world with a baby? I don't know if he'll have the same luck as he had with Dean again.” Dean sent Sam a silent thank you for his quick cover up, though he wasn't sure whether his parents bought it or not.

“How about I get us some pizza? You guys still like pizza, don't you?” Dean said, when he saw Cas getting back into the main hall.

“Well, I could eat. I haven't had pizza for a while,” John said and Mary nodded. Dean sighed in relief and turned to Cas.

“Hey, how about you join me on a supply run? I think Sam can do some babysitting for a while?” Castiel seemed surprised because in the weeks he had been here, Dean had never suggested leaving the bunker. But he nodded, following Dean towards the garage.

“You are nervous,” he decided and Dean snorted. “Your parents will not harm me.”

“Yeah, I know that, it's just...” He looked at Castiel, who was getting comfortable in the passenger seat.

“Just what?” the angel wondered and Dean inched closer, lifting Castiel's head up to kiss him. Castiel was happy to return it, letting his hands rest on Dean's chest, his fingertips digging softly into the well-worn fabric of his shirt. Dean relished the soft press of Castiel’s lips, the warmth of his fingers and how he hummed against him, when Dean put his hands on Castiel’s cheeks, angling his face slightly to deepen the kiss.

“I don’t think my parents would be happy about me kissing angels,” Dean admitted, not letting Castiel’s face go, his lips still hovering close enough to press another soft kiss to his lips, then his nose.

“Because I’m not human?” Castiel wondered, when Dean finally turned away to start the car. If they continued then they would never get their pizza.

“Yeah,” Dean admitted, but not willing to disclose just what kind of fears swirled around in his chest. “It complicates things.”

“Hm.” Dean wasn’t sure if he had hoped for some sort of answer that would lift all the weight off Dean’s shoulders. Like some kind of absolution, some kind of free pass to desire and love him. He assumed that Castiel couldn’t quite claim to understand the reservations his parents might have. They would have to see what was going to happen.

“Let’s just keep a low profile,” Dean decided eventually, “just for now. I’ll tell them and I’ll tell Sam.”

“You will?” Castiel asked and Dean winced at the genuine surprise in his voice.

“Of course, Cas. You and Anna… You’re family,” he said, feeling a blush heat his face and his heart beating a bit quicker. He didn’t dare to look at Castiel, busying himself with the limited traffic. Castiel however put his hand on Dean’s thigh and leant over, to press a kiss to the side of Dean’s head.

“Do you… want to be? I mean…,” Dean finally muttered when he had a couple of boxes of pizza to hide behind.

“Yes,” Castiel replied instantly, taking the pizza away from Dean, making him see the happy smile on Castiel’s face. “If you will have me.” Dean bit on his lower lip, to keep that violent emotion that was brewing in his chest from spilling out. He felt hot all over, his fingers almost trembling with the need to do something. In the end he pulled Castiel close, almost squashing the boxes between them, kissing all of his face he could reach. Castiel was laughing and the sound was so beautiful that Dean felt like he could tell the whole world now that he was in love. But he had to bring home the pizza, so having Castiel smile at him for the ride home was enough.

When he got back to the Bunker, his parents had too many questions to ask, some of which Castiel answered evasively, but he was very happy to talk about how he was getting on with Anna. Dean didn’t think it was the right time to tell his parents, or Sam. Sam however did raise his eyebrow once, when he noticed Dean brushing his hand across Castiel’s hip before he could catch himself. Dean gave him a curt little not, unsure until Sam smiled gently.

Well, at least that was one problem less.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> University got in the way of updating, but I hope I'll be able to continue working on this now!
> 
> Thanks for reading! ♥


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was stuck in this chapter when I started posting this fic. It still took me a long time to work through this.

****Keeping a low profile was hard, especially as his parents decided to extend their stay. He was tip toeing around Castiel, dying to touch and kiss and smile, fighting the urge to steal out of his room to visit him late at night.

“Dude, I’m happy for you, but you’re kinda making me mad with all your sighing lately,” Sam hissed during breakfast preparations almost a week after his parents arrived.

“I can’t help it,” Dean hissed back, looking at the firmly shut door to the kitchen. Who knew when it would open to reveal his father in search of coffee or his mother eager to help with pancakes. “We just decided to be a couple and I can’t even do anything! I want to tell them and just get it over with but-“ he stopped there and had no intentions of continuing. Sam raised his eyebrows at him, clumsily maneuvering himself around Dean to prepare coffee.

“I get it, Dean,” Sam said eventually, sitting down at the table to rest his bruised leg. “The whole angel thing is… different. I have no idea how they’ll react. Hell, I have no idea how to feel about the fact that the guy you’re with is possessing a human.” Dean scratched his head, unsure how to reply to that. Sam didn’t even comment on the fact that Castiel was currently inhabiting a male vessel and he was grateful that Sam either had no problem with his sexuality or had chosen to just ignore it. Maybe Sam turning it into a non-issue in the face of Castiel’s otherworldly nature was what he had to expect of his parents too. Maybe it was no big deal in the face of a bigger deal. But for Dean it was a big deal. Charlie and some of his LARPing friends knew, but that was different to revealing it to his parents and making it… Official somehow. It was the main worry he currently had, next to the whole commitment thing, because Cas didn’t only come with divinity, but also with a little child. Dean decided that maybe he’d have to talk to Castiel first, ask him about his vessel and what would happen to him in case they stayed together to raise Anna. And Dean wanted that, he really wanted that like he had never wanted anything before. It was scary, sure, but it also filled him with warmth and comfort.

“You’ve got that smile on your face,” Sam commented around a mouthful of pancakes. Dean gave a start and looked at Sam.

“What smile?” Dean asked defensively and rubbed his thumb over the corner of his mouth, pretending to clean it from crumbs. Sam rolled his eyes.

“That smile you always have when Dr. Sexy comes on screen,” he commented with a smirk and Dean thought that Sam was lucky to have his werewolf fighting wound or else he would have kicked him.

* * *

 

Maybe it was a bad idea to assume that his parents weren’t clever enough to figure Dean out.

Two weeks of constant surveillance made him wish that his parents didn’t have the liberties of just taking a vacation at the Bunker whenever they felt like it.

“Do you know anything about his vessel, Dean?” Mary had asked casually over breakfast once when Castiel was cleaning the storage some more (it was amazing what kind of things could pile up when you didn’t dare to touch anything that was in a curse box).

“Not much,” Dean had said and tried to ignore the wide, expectant eyes of his mother.

John on the other hand didn’t ask many questions but he often commented on how supernatural creatures should never be underestimated and quoted some examples of failed interspecies relationships that he had encountered during his years as an active Man of Letters. Dean just nodded along and hoped that his dad would let it drop eventually. Dean’s self-esteem issues didn’t need more blows, even though he thought it unlikely that Castiel would suddenly decide that Dean was a nice snack after all.

Dean loved both of his parents, but he had a boyfriend that he would like to kiss and hold. And yes, yes he did kiss Cas once when they were alone in the garage and once when he went to say good-night to Anna. He might have looked at him for too long or let his touches linger.

He felt that those were all harmless things but in the end he walked into the library to find Castiel standing in a ring of fire.

“Holy shit!” Dean shouted, but before he could run off to get something to extinguish the flames, he noticed his parents. Castiel looked upset, angry even with the red light reflecting in his eyes. “What the hell are you two doing?!”

“We’re sorry, sweetie. But we are your parents and we need to do what’s best for you,” his mother said, her voice sounding regretful. “You cannot be with an entity that possesses a human being.” Dean stared at her in mortification.

“There is no reason for this angel to stay here, so we’re sending him back to Heaven,” John clarified, looking up from a bowl into which he was tossing ingredients for a spell.

“Dean…,” Castiel said, pleading and small over the sound of the fire that didn’t emit any heat that Dean could feel, but that filled the room with a nice fragrance. Holy oil. Damn his mother and her lock picking skills.

“It’ll be fine, Cas, just don’t move,” he tried to assure him, approaching his parents with his hands held out.

“Come on guys, you can’t really be thinking about doing this! Cas has a child!” Mary reacted to this at once, putting her hand on John’s arm, which momentarily stopped him from mixing ingredients.

“That can be raised by humans,” John said sternly, “you’re breaking several rules of the Men of Letters, Dean. Those rules apply for everyone, especially the future leader, breaking them is serious, boy. You are always to put human lives before those of the monster.”

“He’s an angel, Dad! He’s not a monster!” Dean argued, hoping beyond hope that Sam would show up with a pitcher of water or a fire extinguisher. “And his vessel was in coma, okay? He’s getting something out of this deal too!”

“Does he?” Mary asked sharply, the worried look on her face momentarily replaced by a frown. “Because I’m not sure he did consent to offering his body for as long as it takes to raise a child.” Dean bit his lips at that, but the soft glow of the spell his father was still preparing didn’t only make Cas utter a chocked off sound, it also made Dean jump forwards, almost stepping into the flames.

“Castiel is officially under my and the Men of Letter’s protection!” Dean shouted, but John just snorted.

“Castiel has overstayed his welcome,” John said flatly and a quick look back to Castiel showed Dean wide, blue eyes and a pale face. This proclamation seemed to hit him harder than being trapped in a ring of holy oil by his boyfriend’s parents was. Dean’s panic was replaced by burning anger.

“If you harm him, I swear to God, I’ll never forgive you!” That made his parents look up in surprise.

“We’re not hurting him, we’re merely banishing him from his vessel. He’ll just go back to Heaven,” Mary said. “He has to, Dean. His vessel-“

“Let me deal with that! I’m not a child! I’m in charge of the Bunker and I’m capable of dealing with this! I can’t believe you two! You’re trying to essentially make Anna an orphan without asking questions firsts?! I thought you were good people!!”

“Dean,” Mary started, but that was the moment that Sam actually did arrive, quickly putting the fire out and a second later a rush of wind and the sound of feathers carried Castiel away. Dean started at the empty spot, then he grimaced and, in a fit of anger, kicked a chair out of the way.

“Are you out of your minds?! What gave you the right to do this in my home?!” Dean shouted, then he rushed to his parents, grabbing the bowl with the ingredients and tossing it all to the floor, stomping on it for good measure.

“Don’t talk to your mother like this,” John said, “we just want you to not make a terrible mistake. And whatever you’re doing with a supernatural being – one that possesses a human even - is a terrible mistake.”

“Don’t you think that maybe talking to Dean and Cas instead of sending Cas back to Heaven behind Dean’s back would have been a better idea?” Sam said and he too was angry at them. He turned to Dean, putting his hand on his shoulder. “You go look for him, I’ll take care of the mess.”

“Thanks, Sammy,” Dean muttered, not casting a glance back before he left the library in search of Cas.

The angel wasn’t in his room or where Anna was happily chewing on her soft toys. He wasn’t anywhere Dean looked and he was close to freaking out with worry when he passed storage rooms on his way to the garage. He heard a soft noise and immediately stopped. He opened the door to the dusty room, switching on the light. The electricity hummed but it took a while before the bulb flickered on with a few sputters of protest. He didn’t see Castiel until he moved further inside, spotting him kneeling in a dark corner, sitting tensely on a sealed box.

“Cas… Sweetheart… I’m so sorry,” he said into the silence, walking up to him to put his arms around the angel. Castiel immediately grabbed Dean’s waist, pressing his face into Dean’s chest. “Everything’s okay now… I won’t let anyone harm you, not even my parents… You’re safe.” Dean pressed a kiss into Cas’ soft hair.

“I don’t want to leave… I don’t want to leave Anna or you or Sam behind,” Castiel said.

“And you don’t have to, okay? We’ll talk this through and we’ll find a solution. I don’t want you to leave, Cas.” Castiel looked up, his expression apprehensive.

“But your father…,” Castiel started and Dean shook his head, helping Castiel up to his feet.

“Cas… It’s not his choice. I offered you this Bunker as a home and I’m not going to back out of it. You’re welcome here. I _want_ you to be here,” Dean told him, then he kissed his forehead. The anger from before had left him and now he felt calm inside. None of that turmoil of emotion tied his tongue now: “I love you, Cas.”

“I love you too, Dean,” Castiel replied promptly brushing his nose against Dean’s cheek, before he kissed it. Dean grinned widely, ducking his head only for Cas to press a kiss to his forehead. This was the first time that anyone had ever said this to him and he felt like he could burst with happiness. The worries about everything else faded into the background and seemed like challenges he would be able to deal with.

“We’ll figure this out with my parents. If they try to exorcise you again just… I don’t know… What can angels do that won’t kill anyone?”

“I could curse at them in my true voice,” Castiel supplied and when Dean lifted an eyebrow he explained: “I hear that humans perceive it to be very loud and eardrum shattering.” Dean laughed, putting his hand around Castiel’s shoulder.

“Okay, just don’t leave any permanent damage,” Dean told him and they left the storage room, “why were you hiding in here anyway?”

“I apologize,” Castiel said, “but I couldn’t leave the Bunker without Anna. Hiding seemed to be the best course of action.”

“Well, I’m glad that you hid instead of flying off,” Dean said, patting Castiel’s dust coated bottom. They walked down the corridor and after a while they could hear a heated discussion. Dean stopped, putting his hand on Castiel’s chest. “Maybe it’s best if you go to your room for a while. I feel I should talk this through with my parents first.”

“Whatever you want, Dean,” Castiel replied and gave Dean’s shoulder a squeeze before Dean left him standing in the corridor.

* * *

 

By the time Dean reached the living room where most of the noise had come from, silence had fallen.

His mother was sitting in an armchair, looking pale and unsure, while his father was leaning against a shelf looking disgruntled. Sam was sitting down too, his still hurt foot propped up on the coffee table and his arms crossed over his chest defiantly. There had rarely been an atmosphere as awkward as this.

“Is he alright?” Sam spoke up once he noticed Dean and Dean nodded. His brother breathed a sigh of relief and Dean turned to look at his parents.

“Okay… Before we’re gonna start shouting at each other because of this, let me just say one thing. What is and what is not done within the walls of the Men of Letters Headquarters is my decision. You might not like it, dad, but I’m your superior, and if anyone was breaking the rules of the order then it was you, by challenging my authority.”

“I was not challenging your authority,” John said, frowning. He pushed himself off the shelf he had been leaning against and took a step towards Dean. “We’re trying to clean up your mess before you’ll ruin your life and your career.”

“By breaking into my pantry, stealing my ingredients and going against a written permit I have to host an angel and its child?” Dean shot back, then he lifted his hand to point to his chest. “ _I_ would have had to clean up your messes if you had succeeded.” John pushed his hands into his coat’s pockets and remained silent, just like Mary did. “What kind of parents can’t just sit down their adult son and talk instead of doing shit behind his back?!” Dean took a sharp breath through his nose after speaking, then he cleared his throat and looked first at his mother and then at his father.

“Well? How about we talk?”

“Look, honey,” Mary started when it became apparent that John was still fuming internally and not ready to say anything constructing for a while longer. She was still pale but at least she was now sitting up straight. “I understand that what we did was not the right way to go about it. And your father and I are sorry for upsetting you.”

“You shouldn’t be sorry for upsetting me,” Dean told her sharply. “You should be sorry for doing something wrong.” Mary lifted both of her hands, nodding.

“Yes, Dean. I am sorry for breaking into your pantry and conducting the spell without consulting you beforehand. We were worried. We _still_ are worried.”

“About what exactly?” Dean asked, gentler now and he grabbed a chair, sitting down next to Sam. “Mom, you made it sound like the only reason you want Cas gone is because he’s occupying a vessel even though you know that he must have obtained constent.” He looked up to John who was still silent, but he wasn’t looking as brooding as before which Dean counted as a success. “And you too. Keeping Cas here doesn’t mean that I’m breaking the rule that states to protect humans. Don’t you think that Grandpa would have challenged my request if he had considered this to endanger our rules?” John seemed contrite but kept his mouth shut. Dean observed how he looked over at Mary, rising his eyebrows at her. She widened her eyes, before she minutely shook her head with a frown. Dean watched their silent communication until Mary seemed to give in with an exasperated sigh.

“Just what is going on with you two? Care to share with the class?” Dean asked, casting a confused look to Sam who shrugged but offered no explanation.

“It’s about you and Castiel,” she finally said and Dean was surprised by the sudden rush of fluttery warmth that spread in his stomach. But then her words registered and he lifted an eyebrow. “You and Cas?” she repeated and Dean stared at her in confusion before he opened his mouth in realization.

“Oh. If you had wanted to know about my relationship status you could have just asked me,” Dean said, feeling a bit uncomfortable but he had already made up his mind about him and Cas. Revealing his bisexuality was probably no big deal after the disastrous events earlier today. “Me and Cas are in a relationship.”

“How serious?” It was the first thing John had said after a long time and it certainly wasn’t what he had expected. He had expected all kinds of reactions to the “hey Mom, Dad, I like guys and girls” revelation but he guessed there was probably no normal parental reaction protocol when your possible son-in-law was an angel living inside a human man.

“Very. It’s the _I love you, let’s raise a kid together_ kind of relationship, Dad,” Dean replied with some annoyance to mask how excited he actually was to tell someone. Heck, he felt like sending text messages to grandma Josie to tell her about it. But when John and Mary just exchanged looks some of the butterflies inside Dean’s stomach were shot down and brought up some old doubts. But Cas was not leaving him as long as their relationship worked and Dean would do his best for it to work because, damn it, he loved that guy and he loved Anna and he loved the thought of spending his life with them.

“I’m happy for you,” Sam said into the silence. Dean looked to his brother and found a genuine smile on his face.

“In any other situation I would be happy too, your mother as well,” John said and wasn’t that a surprise? “But boy… He’s an angel… Angel and human relationships are forbidden according to angelic lore.”

“So is coming to earth to protect a fallen angel I suppose,” Dean retorted, but John wasn’t having any of it.

“I do not doubt the sincerity of your emotion, Dean. But the physical expression of your relationship with Castiel happens with his vessel. And this is what your mother is particularly worried about.” Dean looked at him in confusion before he turned his head towards his mother.

“Yes, it’s odd I know, but-“

“Dean… haven’t you thought about the problem that you never asked his vessel if he’d be alright to have his body used for it? Hasn’t it crossed your mind that maybe he’s not okay with that?” Mary asked and her expression was both sad and stern. “Whenever you and Cas are having sex, even when you’re just kissing, you might violate the person Castiel is inhabiting.” Dean didn’t say anything to that, surprised by what she was saying. He had of course thought about it in passing and he it had been a topic that had dimly been stuck in the back of his head as something that he would have to revisit. Later.

“Okay, I get your point.”

“You’re a good person, Dean. I know we acted rashly but I wanted to stop this,” Mary told him silently and now John was actually moving, sitting on the armrest of Mary’s armchair to cover her hands with his.

“Thanks, Mom,” Dean said warmly, his anger temporarily forgotten. “I still would have been far easier if you would just have asked me. Me and Cas haven’t talked about it yet, but I’ll ask him about it. In private, since this is kind of our business.”

“Yes, we know,” Mary said with a small smile. “I’m sorry.”

“Just don’t try to exorcise him again, I told him to put up a fight next time,” Dean half joked but everyone knew that he was being serious about it.

“Will you talk to him?” Sam wanted to know, “about Jimmy?”

“Yes… But I’ll certainly not cast Cas out of him to get answers. We also don’t know if he’s even healthy enough to be awake without angelic assistance,” Dean answered thoughtfully. There was silence for a while, apparently everyone pleased with the outcome for the moment.

“How about your father and I get into town to get some nice dinner as an apology? Does Castiel eat?”

“Not that I know. He does drink tea though from time to time so maybe he can,” Dean told her.

Mary and John left the Bunker soon after that and Sam turned towards his brother.

“I do get where they’re coming from… I think I would like to know what Jimmy thinks about this too… Not… Not because I think you’re really doing anything wrong, but we can’t know for sure… Maybe it’s best just to have this information.”

“Yeah...,” Dean said, rubbing his forehead. “It might be odd for him. If we can talk to him and he says no… Well… Other couples work just fine without sex too I guess.” Sam laughed in surprise and Dean looked at him with an affronted expression.

“I’m sorry, Dean! It’s just… Wow… I know you love completely, but I’m still kinda surprised.” Dean rolled his eyes, then he rose.

“I’ll go talk to Cas,” Dean said and even though Sam nodded in encouragement, he was really nervous. Because what if this didn’t work out? Dean shook his head. He had decided to work hard for this and he would. He wanted to be a man worthy of an angel’s love and trust.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! ♥


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the delay of this concluding chapter!

Cas was in his room, reading a book to Anna even though Dean was sure that he mostly did it to lull her to sleep. But she was wide awake and mumbling and making other noises, especially when Dean came into the room.

“Hey baby,” Dean said with a grin, lifting Anna out of Castiel’s arms. He loudly kissed her cheek, much to her delight.

“How did it go?” Castiel asked, leaning back on his bed. He looked relaxed and not worried at all and it put Dean’s mind at ease.

“Okay I think. They’re getting dinner to apologize,” he said and Castiel lifted an eyebrow. Dean gently rocked Anna who still didn’t show any signs of being sleepy even though it was past the time she tended to nap. Castiel tilted his head to the side and Dean continued: “They wanted to exorcize you because they worried that your vessel didn’t consent to me having sex with him. At least I think that was the main reason.” Castiel seemed surprised and Dean sat down next to him. Castiel’s hands reached out to hold Dean’s waist and he pulled himself closer to press a kiss to Anna’s forehead.

“I see,” was all he said and Dean waited in vain for him to address the issue.

“And? What’s Jimmy’s opinion on it?” he asked anxiously, “because if he doesn’t-“ Anna gave a sound of protest at him raising his voice and he instantly forced it back down. “If he doesn’t consent to it then we’re not having sex.” Castiel didn’t seem particularly worried about that and Dean guessed it was to be expected. Maybe angels were not interested in sexual relations. He tried not to feel discouraged.

“Jimmy’s sleeping most of the time because his mind is still recovering. I assumed it best not to let him see much of the world around me,” Castiel said after a while, turning his attention away from Anna to study Dean’s face.

“But we could talk to him? Ask him about it?” Dean urged and Castiel sighed. For a moment Dean feared that Castiel would deny him, but after a while he nodded.

“Yes. I would prefer him not to be confronted with too many people at once, but if you feel the need to talk to him when your parents are present I assume I can wake him now,” Castiel said. When Dean didn’t say anything Castiel pressed his lips to Anna’s forehead again and her eyes drooped immediately. Within seconds she was sleeping in Dean’s arms. “Put her to bed, please.” Dean complied and then sat back down on the bed, facing Castiel. “The moment I feel that it’s too much for him to handle I will intervene,” Castiel warned him. Dean gave him a nervous nod. Castiel searched his face again, then he closed his eyes.

For a long moment nothing happened and Anna was making gurgling noises in her sleep before she smacked her lips a few times and also fell silent. Then Castiel shivered before he gave a start and opened his eyes.

Judging by the wide eyed look and the confusion on his face Castiel had retreated deeper into his vessel.

“Jimmy?” Dean asked gently, holding up both his hands, carefully lowering one to Jimmy’s shoulder. The guy was looking around now, taking in the room, the crib with the sleeping baby, before finally looking at Dean. He frowned, but then his expression changed. His face was open, soft, not as controlled as Castiel had often been.

“You’re Dean?” he asked and Dean was surprised that his voice lacked the depth he knew. It was just a simple voice, not weighed down with the power of Grace.

“Uh, yes. Hi,” Dean finally said, lifting his hand off Jimmy’s shoulder to shake his hand. Castiel’s human host was not nearly as confused and distraught as Dean had feared. He had seen humans that had been freed of demonic possession and for some reason he had expected Jimmy to be as jumpy and jittery as them. Jimmy’s handshake was firm and he smiled a bit, even though it was hesitant.

“Castiel told me that you had to speak to me…,” he said and Dean rose to his feet. Jimmy looked up at him.

“Yeah… Uh… Do you know why?” Dean asked, a bit nervous now that he apparently didn’t have to worry about Jimmy bolting or keeling over. What Jimmy decided would impact the nature of Dean and Castiel’s future relationship. And even though Dean knew that he and Cas would do their best to stay together, he was afraid. He was afraid to be rejected.

“It’s about my consent, right?” Jimmy asked and slowly rose to his feet. His movements were slightly stilted.

“Sorry… I didn’t have to move my own limbs in such a long time,” Jimmy mumbled, as he almost bumped into Dean. He went to the crib and looked down.

“Of course… I bet you want to stretch your legs a bit,” he said and watched Jimmy lean over the crib to reach down and touch Anna. “That’s Anna.”

“Yes, I know…” Jimmy said silently. “Surprising what Castiel could make my broken body do.” His voice sounded amused, not regretful or angry at all. He straightened and looked at Dean, lifting an eyebrow. “So? Do you want to talk?”

“If you’re okay with it I’d like to talk to you where my parents can hear you. They’re the reason I had to ask Cas to wake you,” Dean replied and Jimmy nodded. He was slowly following Dean, though Dean assumed that he took his time to study his surroundings, not because he found it that hard to move. Dean stole a few looks at Jimmy, but didn’t dare to ask him any questions. He knew it was childish of him, but if he could postpone having to get a potential negative answer, he would. Seeing this human move around, looking around, smiling to himself and then at Dean when he caught him looking made Dean feel guilty. Jimmy wasn’t just Castiel’s human host, he was a person with his own life that had been stolen from him. Not by Castiel, so much was sure, but now that Jimmy was moving around again Dean doubted he wanted to go back to sleep anytime soon. Dean really didn’t want to lose Castiel, but he also didn’t want to prevent Jimmy from living his own life.

He and Jimmy came into the living room where his parents were already waiting with food on the table. They were eyeing Jimmy with apprehension, but Jimmy’s joyous reaction to the cheeseburgers in between the mostly not junk food take-away on the table probably made them realize that they weren’t dealing with Castiel.

“Mom, Dad, Sam? This is Jimmy, Castiel’s host.” Jimmy reached over the table to shake hands with John and Mary and then he leant to the right to shake hands with Sam.

“I’m glad we can talk this through over dinner,” Jimmy said, “I’m starving.”

“Well, then how about we start? We’ve got stuff from all kinds of places because we weren’t sure what you guys felt like,” Mary explained, pointing at the various bowls with food. Dean wasn’t looking forwards to cleaning everything. He would have preferred from them to just leave the food in its take-away boxes. Jimmy grabbed himself a cheeseburger or two and, as if on an after-thought, some salad.

He wasn’t paying attention to anyone, even though all eyes rested on him. Only when he was working on his second burger, did Dean break the silence.

“Maybe you should slow down a bit, ba-“ he coughed, “buddy.” Jimmy shrugged, but he did chew a bit slower and, as if recalling that he wasn’t the only person in the room, finally lifted his head to look at Dean.

“Well?” Dean lifted his eyebrows in confusion, his food currently forgotten. “Didn’t you want to ask me something?” Mary jumped at the opportunity and Dean was almost embarrassed about her eagerness:

“If you allow, we wanted to ask you about your possession,” she said, speaking in the same kind of gentle voice that she’d used when Dean brought home a bad grade or was sad over a break-up.

“Sure,” Jimmy answered and rolled the burger’s wrapper to a little ball. Dean followed the movement of his long, beautiful fingers, as they rolled the paper around. He almost missed Jimmy continue speaking: “what do you want to know?”

“Castiel had to ask you for your consent to possess him,” John spoke up, receiving a nod, “but did he inform you about Anna?”

“He did. He asked me if I would allow him to use my body to have and raise Anna for as long as he deemed it necessary to watch over her. I said yes.” Dean breathed out in relief. He hadn’t doubted Cas, but supernatural creatures had a habit of telling half-truths and omitting crucial details. That this much was true, was already a good sign.

“And were you aware of what it means to raise a child? How long you would be giving your body over to Castiel?” John asked sternly but Jimmy didn’t react to his authoritative tone with anything but a slight lowering of his eyebrows. “He might be possessing you for 20 years, maybe even until Anna’s lived her human life. And there’s no guarantee that he lets you go after that. We’ve had sources that say some people have been possessed for 1000 years.”

“So what? I’m as good as dead in this century. Waking up again in 50 years in a whole and healthy body with a whole and healthy mind seems preferable to continue sleeping until either someone pulled the plug on me or I died of old age or other ailments. So yes. I consented. If it takes 100 years or 1000. I _consented_ ,” he said firmly and neither John nor Mary had anything to say to that. Sam seemed quite impressed and Dean… Dean was just relieved.

“What about your family though? Your friends?” John wanted to know, his voice now without the harsh edge.

“They’re dead or estranged. I don’t have anyone waiting for me,” Jimmy said calmly, “I don’t have an apartment or a job to return to. Not even money, because my account was bled dry by my stay at the hospital. I’m a homeless, friendless and penniless orphan. I’m alive though. And I can be properly alive again when Castiel no longer needs me to take care of Anna.” He looked over to Dean. “I like Anna. I shared mind space with her while Castiel was making a body for her. I want to do this for her as much as I want to do this for myself.” Dean smiled at him, reaching out to grab Jimmy’s shoulder affectionately. He didn’t say anything to him, but judged from the smile on Jimmy’s face and the sparkle in his eye he was to some extent aware of what Dean and Castiel shared. That he didn’t shake Dean’s hand off was a good sign. Dean desperately hoped that it was a good sign.

“I am glad that you approach your possession with such kindness,” Mary spoke up and everyone looked at her, “but as Dean’s mother I have a different worry. And I am sorry if this is too personal.”

Jimmy leant back in his chair when Dean took away his hand to fold them in his lap.

“Are you aware that Dean and Castiel are in a relationship?” she asked. Jimmy didn’t react for a moment and the lack of it was making everyone – most of all Dean – hold their breath.

“I am asleep in my own body for the most time, so I haven’t seen anything Dean and Castiel did, but I guessed. I feel Castiel’s whole being expand with joy and adoration whenever Dean’s close to me. So at least Castiel’s feelings for Dean I knew of.” Dean was blushing and rubbing his hands nervously at this revelation.

“And do you… Are you worried about that?” Mary asked.

“We didn’t,” Dean started to interrupt, but faltered when everyone looked at him. “Uh… We haven’t done anything but kiss and if you don’t want anything else to happen, then that’s fine. I’m not going to touch you – or Cas – if you don’t want it.” John and Mary both seemed slightly surprised by this confession. “I promise.”

“I didn’t really consider the possibility of Castiel having sex while in my body when I gave my consent,” Jimmy told him kindly, “but that doesn’t mean that I disapprove of it.”

Dean felt like a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders and he couldn’t hold back a relieved sigh. He pressed his palms to his face. He felt Jimmy’s fingers on his shoulder, giving it a light squeeze.

“It’s okay. Dean. Any kind of yes you need from me, you’ll have it,” he said and Dean dared to peek over his fingers. Jimmy was still smiling, slightly cheeky, but gentle. “I know from what Castiel feels that you’re a good man. I trust you and Cas not to do anything bad with my body that’ll leave me having to pick up your messes.” It was spoken quietly, and only for Dean’s ears to hear. He looked up at Jimmy, quite hopefully. Dean reached out to hug Jimmy and while he was surprised for a moment, he did return his hug. It was a friendly hug, quite different from the one he shared with Cas, but it felt good and right.

“I’m glad that this is sorted out,” Sam said, a bright and cheerful smile on his face. Dean knew he was still blushing, but he laughed, clapping Jimmy on the back before letting him turn back to his burger. “I hope you two are now happy,” Dean’s younger brother continued, addressing their parents.

“I am, yes. Though I regret that Jimmy will have to leave us again,” Mary answered.

“It’s okay. I’ll be back in a couple of decades,” Jimmy assured her, “I’m sure Castiel won’t leave me completely stranded once he returns to heaven.

“But don’t you want to stay? Now? In a world that’s familiar?” John asked after he had been silent for a while. He had his hands crossed over his chest, his expression concerned. Jimmy shook his head, causing John to unfold his arms and lean over the table. “Jimmy. You could be alive now. The only reason that you’ll go back to your cocoon inside your own body is because you think you’re alone. But we’ve got a network. We can take care of you.”

“Dad,” Dean said in alarm, though he caught himself before he objected to Jimmy getting his life back.

“Thank you, but I made a promise,” Jimmy said with determination. “I gave an angel a home and I won’t make it leave the first chance I’ve got.” John looked at him for a while longer, but then he nodded and Dean felt the topic was now safely covered. “I just had to be sure that you weren’t pressured into anything. It’s our duty.”

“I appreciate it,” Jimmy said.

“Anyone’s up for tea or coffee?” Sam offered into the ensuing silence.

“Oh, that would be wonderful,” Mary agreed, while the others nodded. “I’ll help you.” When Mary and Sam had left for the kitchen John pulled out something from his jacket.

“That’s got a seal on it! Dad!” Dean objected with some manner of weak outrage. “You can’t just take things out of the special library!” John rolled his eyes.

“Relax, boy. I texted Dad just in case you’d feel like getting all up in arms about it,” he said and Dean huffed. John had to laugh at that. “Good that you’re taking your job seriously.”

“Well, someone’s got to,” Dean quipped. John rolled his eyes and opened the small scroll. The seal on it told Dean that it was supposed to be in one of the rooms that housed not yet archived delicate information from other branches of the Men of Letters. And that it was a couple of centuries old. If Sam was here he would probably throw a fit to see their father handle the document with no gloves.

“What is this? A magic spell?” Jimmy asked, still chewing on some fries.

“To some extent. It’s old magic. It allows someone to make an uninhabited body; a golem. It can of course not be used by angels because they cannot get into it without consent of the soul, but if we made one for you, maybe Castiel could transfer your soul to it. The body he moves in would still be yours so he’d still need your consent for it, even if your soul was elsewhere.”

“Dad! Why didn’t you come out with this information sooner?” Dean asked, quite annoyed, but he couldn’t deny that he was excited too, and not only because that was new knowledge to him. They’d really should get to those archives, instead of hunting werewolves with Gwen.

“I didn’t know if it’d really work. We’d have to ask Castiel about it. And Jimmy of course. If that’s something he’d want,” John said and turned to look to Jimmy who had followed their conversation without saying anything. “Well? This golem body wouldn’t age and it’d require some work to maintain it. Different work than eating and sleeping.”

“I don’t know.”

“Jimmy, remember that right now you have people who would take care of you and help you sort out your life. Maybe Castiel wouldn’t be able to supply you with such a network in a couple of decades. You don’t have to stay here. You can come with Mary and me and decide what you want to do.” Jimmy looked torn at this, a worried frown creasing his forehead. Dean guessed that he was scared, maybe there was something easy in being asleep and not having to face a world in which he was alone.

“Hey. How about you talk to Cas about it? Take a moment to think about it and decide later,” Dean told him and Jimmy looked at him with a grateful expression, but then he squeezed his eyes shut and his face slackened, losing the frown and the worry lines and the scared look in his eyes.

“I didn’t mean to intervene, but I felt that Jimmy wanted to seek shelter.” And it was Castiel again, with his rougher voice and calmer look. Dean sighed, but then he pulled Castiel towards him, pressing a kiss into his hair. “I heard your conversation though.”

“Oh? Is everything alright?” Sam asked when he and Mary came back into the room, finding Dean with his arms wrapped around Castiel.

“Jimmy had to retreat. I offered to look into getting him his own body and I think that scared him,” John explained, receiving a cup of coffee from Mary.

“What a pity. And I just made tea,” she said with a sigh, but then she looked at Castiel. “Do you drink tea?”

“Yes,” Castiel replied, carefully getting out of Dean’s arms to take the offered cup. John and Mary were silent for a while, but Sam made up for it by latching onto the topic.

“So Jimmy can get his own body? How?”

“A golem,” John said and drank his coffee, eying Castiel warily. It wasn’t the same open expression he had worn while talking to Jimmy. Mary was similar, though Dean knew his mother well enough to figure out that she was still feeling bad. It was her “Dean, I burnt the pie” expression.

“A golem? But wouldn’t that mean someone needed to be the body’s master? I don’t know if Jimmy’d like that.” Sam looked pensive but Dean thought that question wasn’t particularly relevant.

“I don’t think Jimmy wants it. The kid seemed scared when he was given the choice,” he muttered. Castiel lifted his hand to caress the short hair on Dean’s neck, making him lose some tension immediately. “Maybe we should just let him hide inside Cas for a while longer.”

“I will talk to Jimmy. Your plan to make a golem is wise and possible and it will not impair me. But it has to be Jimmy’s choice.” Castiel told him, then he apparently recalled his tea because he started drinking it.

“Well, then that’s a topic for next time,” Sam said, “but we’ve got confirmation that everything’s sound with Jimmy’s consent.”

“Yeah, that’s… great,” Dean mumbled, suddenly embarrassed because of the implication of what Jimmy’s consent meant for Dean and Castiel’s relationship. Not that he should be embarrassed. When he looked at Castiel he found the angel smiling at him. “That’s really great,” he said and pressed his nose against Castiel’s before his lips brushed against his cheek.

“You two are so cute it’s almost gross,” Sam complained with a grin.

“I didn’t know you liked men, Dean,” John said conversationally and Dean froze. “Apart from that Dr. Sexy I mean.” No matter how suddenly he had felt his heart clench in fright, this made Dean roll his eyes. There was nothing hostile or judgmental in John’s expression when he waited for Dean’s answer and maybe that was all the courage Dean needed.

“I do. I mean this is my first relationship with a man, but I knew I was bisexual for a while now… I just didn’t know how to tell you guys,” he said and squeezed Castiel’s hand for a silent call for support. Castiel squeezed back gently.

“That’s not something you should worry about. We support you and are happy for your,” Mary told him, but then she made a small grimace, “well, within reason. Of course your father and I were worried about Castiel being in a vessel, not that his vessel is male.” She looked over to Castiel. “I am really sorry that we overreacted.” She elbowed John in the rips. He grunted and rubbed the sore spot.

“Please accept our apology for trying to send you out of your vessel,” he mumbled.

“I accept your apology,” Castiel replied, then he looked at Dean, smiling.

“Does that mean that mom and dad are grandparents now?” Sam asked innocently and all eyes came to rest on Sam. He shrugged. “I think it’s pretty obvious that Dean and Cas will raise Anna together, right?” Mary immediately looked excited and Dean felt like he should maybe try to calm her down again, because while Dean was pretty sure that he’d raise Anna like his own kid, he didn’t want to jump to conclusions.

“And you are an uncle now, Sam,” Castiel replied and that took the worry and urge to contradict Sam right out of Dean. Sam looked like a deer in headlights, apparently not having thought about that at all.

They still talked easily about this for some time, until John and Mary decided that it was time to retreat, reminding them to make Jimmy get in touch with them if he wanted to.

When they were finally in Dean’s room, with Anna still sleeping in Castiel’s room, Dean dared to address the topic again.

“So we’re gonna do it?” Dean asked shyly and Castiel lifted an eyebrow.

“Sex? Of course, if you-“

“Not that!” Dean protested, though then he shook his head, “well, that too, of course,” he amended, seeing Castiel pull his lips into a smug smile. “I was talking about us. About you and me and Anna being a family.”

“Was there any doubt?” Castiel asked, taking Dean’s hands into his own, raising them to his lips to kiss them gently.

“So… Will you take me as husband and father of your child?” Dean asked silently, pulling to make Castiel come close enough for him to kiss his forehead and then his lips.

“Yes. I would be honored,” Castiel replied and let himself be guided backwards onto the bed. Dean covered him with his body and kissed him, their hands linked above Castiel’s head.

“Awesome,” Dean muttered against his lips and he couldn’t keep the smile off them. But he felt that Castiel was smiling as well.

* * *

 

It took about a month before Jimmy made a shy reappearance that almost made Dean jump out of his skin.

“I’ve seen you naked through Castiel’s eyes, don’t worry,” Jimmy had said with a benevolent eye-roll but Dean had still been embarrassed for the rest of the day, even as they started to get to work on that golem body of Jimmy’s. Having a network of Men of Letters and Hunters made the gathering of ingredients quite easy.

Jimmy sometimes popped up to worry about him being Frankenstein’s monster, but otherwise they were making good progress. Or so Dean had heard because he’d rather leave Sam and Castiel to it. He’d never been a fan of taking apart bodies (or putting them together in this case).

* * *

 

It took two more months until Henry Winchester was done with all the organizing required for a wedding worthy of the Men of Letters (the Men of Letters were bored enough to never say no to a party, especially not one as pompous as a wedding). Dean thought that Anna looked very cute in her little white dress and that Castiel looked amazing in his suit. They kept on dancing long after the guests had retreated to enjoy a cup of coffee and Mary’s wedding pie.

“Remember to use protection,” Henry told them with a smile, eying them both over the brim of his glasses. “A small hoard of Nephilim would make you turn gray sooner than you’d like to.”

“Grandpa!” Dean complained loudly, but the man chuckled to himself in amusement and with another round of well-wishes turned away to partake of the pie. His words made dart a look at Castiel’s perfectly flat stomach under his well-fitting suit.

“I don’t have the necessary organs to conceive your child,” Castiel reminded Dean and Dean breathed a sigh of relief. They left the dance room and went to the tea room, to grab another slice of pie. Sam was taking care of Anna, carrying her around and showing her off to all the Men and Women of Letters as well as the rougher Campbells that still cooed when faced with something as cute as Anna who of course smiled and gurgled excitedly at everyone that looked at her. Dean watched her and while he was absolutely happy to have such a wonderful child, the thought that she’d be the only one did make him a bit morose. He drank his coffee and ate his pie and his hand patted Castiel’s stomach once. It felt like an apology for being just the tiniest bit disappointed.

“Nephilim aren’t easy to handle,” Castiel said out of the blue, then he looked at Dean, quirking up one of his eyebrows. Dean grinned, feeling as giddy as Sam apparently did, spinning Anna round, her giggling loud in the tea room.

“We’d manage,” he decided and Castiel didn’t argue with that. They were a bit more careful though, just in case.

* * *

 

Dean and Castiel had been married half a year when they saw Jimmy off with Sam. Jimmy had lingered around the bunker for over a month, trying to get used to his body, getting the stiffness out of it and making sure that he wouldn’t suddenly lose one of his arms by swinging it too much. He was almost shy now, even though he came out into the open to spend time with people that weren’t Castiel or Anna. Dean was glad that he would be staying with his parents, because even though they were retired from the supernatural world, they still had lots of contacts that would make it easy for Jimmy to do whatever he wanted to do.

“Fluffy haired Frankenstein and his dear monster. We’ll see you around,” Dean said with a cheeky grin, giving both of them hugs even though they grumbled at him. Castiel was waving, holding Anna on his hip, and when the door closed behind them they were finally on their own.

Well, almost. Anna made a grab for Dean, pulling at his shirt even when he was try his best to passionately kiss his husband. “Dada,” she insisted and Dean and Cas broke apart to look at the girl. Her eyes were wide, but then she slowly clapped her hands and had nothing else to say, pulling at the strings of Castiel’s hoodie instead.

“I think she knew you meant to put her into the nursery,” Castiel mused and Dean rolled his eyes. Dean lifted Anna out of Castiel’s arms, which earned him a happy huff from the girl.

“If we play with you now and read you your book, will you let Mommy and Daddy have some alone time afterwards?” Anna of course didn’t grace that with a committed answer, but she seemed interested in the playing and reading bit.

Dean heaved a sigh and kissed her hair.

“Home will be a bit quieter now, won’t it?” Dean wondered aloud as they were making their way through the corridors to the living room. “Without Jimmy, Sam or Charlie. I’ll probably miss the noise.”

“Yes…,” Castiel said, sitting down on the sofa, while Dean and Anna got comfortable on the floor, reaching for a book. Dean leant his head back, resting it on Castiel’s knees, grinning up at him mischievously. Castiel lifted an eyebrow, gently carding his fingers through Dean’s hair.

“So we’ll just have to make some noise of our own.” Castiel frowned in confusion, but then his expression changed to understanding. “Right?”

“Of course Dean,” he said indulgingly. Dean laughed, but he got interrupted by a particular red-head popping up in the door frame with two bags in her hand.

“So I heard you two were alone at home. I have pizza, beer, a new teddy for my favorite girl Anna and season one of Smallville.”

Dean couldn’t even be particularly angry at the interruption when he heard the previously unknown sound of Castiel groaning in annoyance.

Home wasn’t that silent after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it!
> 
> Wrapping this up was a bit difficult (as always), but I hope it was satisfactory. 
> 
> Thanks for reading this story! ♥


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